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S. S. HENDERSONE Wagon Brake. I

Patented April 28, 1868.

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Letters Patent No. 77,190, dated Aprz'l 28, 1868.

IMPROVED WAGOJN-YBIRAKE.

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to ALL WHOM IT- MAY CONCERN:

Be it' known that I, SMITH S. Hnnnnnson, of North Cohoeton, in] thecounty of Steuben, in the State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Self-Acting Wagon-Brakes; and'the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being badto the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification,in'whieh Figure 1 represents a side view of the wagon, showing themanner. of applying and the modeof operating the brakes.

Figure 2 shows an enlarged perspective view-of the perch or reach, withthe mode of hinging the brakebar and brakes, alsothe sliding bar andcorinectingchain. v Figure 3 is an enlarged view of theconnecting-chain, friction-roller, and crooked metal bar attached to thepole or wagon-tongue. v

; The object of my invention is efliciency anddurability, and itconsists in thc'constrnction, arrangement, and combination of theseveral parts as connected, to operate in the manner hereinafterspecified.

To enable others to make and use myimprovements, I will describe'themmore fully, referring to the drawings, and to the letters markedthereon.

I My improved self-acting brake may be easily applied to any ordinaryfarm-wagon by securing to the reach or perc'h A, a bar of timber, B,across the reach and braces, just forward of the perpendicular line ofthe periphery of the back wheels 0. On the top'of the cross-timber B issecured, by hinges b I), the brake-bar D, to the ends ofwhioh'arc-firmly bolted the blocksa a, to which are fitted thewedge-shaped brake-block c'c, so notched on to the blocks a ass to bearfirmly on the tire of the wheel when the brake is applied, and the wagonmoving forward, the brake-block a being hinged to the block a slottedstraps e e, on each side, so that the brakes c a will be lifted up andtheir pressure relieved from the wheels 0 0, when the wagon is backed.To the central portion, on the rear of the brake-bar D, are secured twostraps of metal at at, extending down onboth' sides of the reach A, anda sliding bar, E, underneath, to which the straps cl oZ connect byamovable plate-hinge, f, and a bolt and nut, g,'so that the plate-hingefmay be varied on the slide-bar E, there being a slit in the bar for thatpurpose, by which the amount of pressure on the brakes may be adjusted.to the wheels; the straps d d forming the levers to operate the brakes.To the forward end of the slideE is'fastened a hook, It, to which isattached a chain, F, passing over a roller, G, and down under theforward axle, where it connects with the rear end of a metal bar, H,which is so shaped thatthe rear end is free to more .under the centre ofthe axle; the bar H being bent up and over, so that the forward end isfastened on to: the top of the rear end of the tongue or pole I, whichis attached by a long pin or bolt, 2', between the hounds J'J, in -theusual manner vthe pin '5 being the fulcrum the pole I being the lever tooperate the brakes, which is done simply by the moving or"- the end ofthe pole-up, to bring the brakes against thewheels, and down to relievethem.

The movement by which the hind wheels 0 are held from rolling, whendescending a steep hill or an inclined plane, is the most natural, andquite as certain as any method ,hithcrto known. The wagon-tongue orpole, when hitched to the neck-yoke of a team in harness, islevated atthe forward cnd,-' and the tendency is always to throw up, when theweight of the wagon or load bears or presses forward on to .the team ingoing down hill;

and it will readily be seon'that by this movement simply, the mostcertain and efficient action on the brakes is produced by thearrangement and combination of the mechanism above described.'

The advantages are, that my improvements can be put on to any wagon,without altering or changing any part of the running-gear; the bentmetal bar H being secured to the pole, the roller G secured to the underside of the reach A, the chain F'conneoting the slide E with the pole I,so that by lifting the end a short distance, the brakes are brought incontact with the Wheels.

It is practically demonstrated that the harder the forward pressure is,the greater force is applied totho brake-blocks, so that there is nodanger of a hcavily-loaded wagon running on to the team, and when thewagon is backed up, the wheels rolling the reverse way, instantlyrelieve the brakes, so thetevery obstacle to the perfect operation ofself-acting brakes is removed. I I

What I claim as my invention; and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1- The arrangement and combinetion of the wagon-tongue or pole I, bentmetal bar H, chain F,' roller G, and slide-bar E, to connect with thebrake-bar D, for operating in the nienner herein described.

2. I clairn the brake-blocks c c'and wq, hinged together with slottedstraps e e, as eonstrncted and secured to. the hinged brake-bar D, thesame being connected by 1evers dd with the slide E by a plate-hinge, f,so as to adjust the pressure qf the brakes to the wheels,substantiallytas and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof, I hereuntosubscribe rny name in the presence of 4SMITH S. HENDERSON.

Witnesses:

A. Anne, E G. Pmncn.

